Ages 18+.
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #98
by muffy
Critics are calling Alan Drew's The Gardens of Water "nothing short of extraordinary".
Set in a small town outside Istanbul, it opens as Sinan Basioglu, a Kurdish shopkeeper and devout Muslim, is preparing for his nine-year-old son Ismail’s circumcision ceremony. Among the guests are their American neighbors whom Sinan begrudgingly invite at the last minute.
When disaster strikes and both families suffer indescribable losses, their lives intertwined and become interdependent. Each must find a way to look beyond their disparate cultural backgrounds and centuries-old misunderstanding to survive.
Garden is ”a remarkable work from a compelling new voice in fiction”, ~Bookreporters.com, and " A richly detailed, finely plotted demonstration of culture clash." ~Booklist.
Rebel Without a Cause
by pumpkin
Today is the birthday of James Dean. In addition to his three movies, the library has several interesting books about the legendary actor.
His rebellious image is preserved in “James Dean: Fifty Years Ago.” You also might enjoy “Rebel: the Life and Legend of James Dean” or “James Dean: the Biography.”
There are also novels about him: “Digging James Dean” and “The James Dean Affair.”
James Dean died at the age of twenty-four and would be seventy-seven today had he lived.
Saiyuki
by joy k
Journey to the extreme with Sanzo, Hakkai, Gojyo, and Goku in Kazuya Minekura’s manga series Saiyuki. Sanzo, a Buddhist priest, has to travel to India to reclaim the sutras stolen from his murdered master. This retelling of the traditional Chinese novel Journey to the West (also known as Monkey) updates the epic for modern readers with lots of action, slang-filled dialogue, and cheerful anachronisms (such as a dragon that transforms into a jeep).
Make a Mobile of Peace
by MarilynG
Do you like being creative and learning about history too? The Ann Arbor Community Center will celebrate Black History Month with an art workshop on February 23 from 2-3pm. Learn about Martin Luther King while creating a mobile with the guidance of staff from Abrakadoodle. Call 662-3128 to reserve your place in this free workshop.
If TV killed the book, what did the Internet kill?
by RiponGood
Have you ever read Fahrenheit 451 and thought it was all about censorship? According to a quote on Wikipedia, author Ray Bradbury really wrote the book about how TV destroyed interest in books. Humm. Very interesting. I had never thought about that. So if TV killed the book, what has the Internet killed? Seems like there are a number of possibilities. How about CDs and DVDs? What about books (again), magazines, and newspapers? Maybe all of those things still have a place in our society just like books in Bradbury's story. Form your own opinions by first reading the book. You can also listen to it on cassette or on CD. It can also be seen on DVD or VHS.
Burn baby burn...
DVD Bits - Issues of Race
by ryanikoglu
In honor of African-American History Month, don't forget movies that tell stories of crossing racial barriers in America. Imitation of Life is the same story told twice in films of 1934 and 1959. Both films are on one DVD. A Patch of Blue with Sidney Poitier and Guess Who's Coming To Dinner with Katherin Hepburn and Spencer Tracy; Corrina, Corrina with Whoopi Goldberg and Ray Liotta; and Ruby Bridges who was the first child to integrate her local elementary school in New Orleans.
Chinese Week at EMU
by Beth Manuel
All sorts of excitement ensues this first week of February at Eastern Michigan University to celebrate the
Chinese Lunar New Year. Beginning February 1st through 10th check out the Halle Library or the exhibit of EMU’s Chinese history & culture posters in the Foreign Language Lab Hallway. Check out their schedule
Chinese Week at EMU for more details.The buffet dinner sounds especially yummy for only $10 bucks, too.
Whose soul is it?
by annevm
Charles Baxter has a new novel out and is headed here, where he lived for years before moving to Minneapolis. His new book is The Soul Thief and it sounds eerily intriguing: When Nathaniel Mason meets Jerome Coolberg in graduate school, their identities become mysteriously, maddeningly mixed. I just placed my hold. For information about Baxter’s Feb. 13 local appearance check out Shaman Drum.
DVD Bits - Nobody Knows
by ryanikoglu
This Japanese film title Daremo shiranai translates to "Nobody Knows",... a touchingly beautiful film based on a true story. For more than a year, four siblings take care of each other without the presence of a parent. They range in age from 12 to 5 years old. They manage to protect the secret that they are "home alone". The quiet film footage of the children involved in their daily routines is a skill full work of patience and art.
Food, Glorious Food!
by Beth Manuel
Washtenaw County Employment Training & Community Services will be distributing Federal Surplus Food while supplies last. Items such as green beans, canned beef, tuna and carrots will be distributed on Thursday February 21st from 9:00 a.m. until commodities run out. Services are available to income eligible individuals at the Washtenaw County Human Services building: 555 Towner Street, Room 107 in Ypsilanti.